March 27, 2014

By Laura Wilson

For more than 25 years Book-Link International, Inc., has collected and sent Bibles, hymnals and Christian study materials to school libraries and pastors all over the world at no cost to recipients.

“At the first meeting of the National Fellowship of Baptist Men in September 1986, the concept of Book-Link was discussed,” said Book-Link director Olin Williams. “On Jan. 26, 1988 ... a Book Project Committee of six people was formed and recommended that a book project known as NFBE BOOK-LINK (now known as Book-Link International, Inc.) be established.”

Hal Buchanan was selected as the first executive director of Book-Link and, according to ministry records, the first shipment of books and materials was shipped overseas in July 1988.

Book-Link, which is based in Kentucky, requires six things to operate: prayer, Bibles, New Testaments, Bible commentary materials, labor and financial support. The ministry currently ships two, 20-foot metal containers of books per year to three countries.

“Baptists of Alabama, as shown through Book-Link, have great interest in evangelism and are very willing to share with others materials to help them better understand God’s plan for their lives,” Williams said. “Book-Link International offers another way for churches to accomplish Matthew 28:19–20, Matthew 25:40 and Acts 1:8.

“We need for each Baptist church in Alabama to get involved in this ministry through areas mentioned above to the extent that a collection and shipping center can be established in this state,” Williams added.